Paul
it is indeed a good read, though I think Mr Banks must have been sponsored by Glenfiddich judging by his end choice for favourite dram. ( Be warned book spoiler alert ) While I have tried and enjoyed the Glenfidich rum cask finish there are ( IMHO ) better ones out there. Funnily enough one of the rum cask finishes I prefer is the Balvennie 14 YO Cuban Selection, Balvennie being the sister company of Glenfiddich.
For your tour, some suggested stops:
Glendronach: Lovely distillery, very good sherry cask matured whiskies. One of the better tours I have been on.
Edradour: Small but worth a visit. The shop for me was the highlight as the owner of Edradour also own Signatory, the independant bottling company. There was a large selection of Signatory offerings for sale.
Ardbeg: This was my favourite distillery visit while looking round Islay. All the Islay distilleries are great to visit but for me Ardbeg just came out on top. Lovely setting and buildings, cafe was fantastic too.
Glengoyne: This is a good choice as it is relatively close to Glasgow and handily placed for a stop on your outbound or return journey from the fantastic West Coast roads and scenery. You can buy a limited release bottle called the teapot dram direct from the distillery shop. I enjoyed this bottle, dark and rich.
Happy hunting, slainte!
